Vampires and Donors

Because of health concerns and also because of the intimacy of feeding, a great many practicing vampires find a donor who also becomes their monogamous sexual partner. Some vampires find blood-drinking to be an erotic experience, and many find that it makes them feel empathically linked to their donor, cementing bonds between vampire and donor that are emotional and spiritual in nature.

Getting even one donor is not always easy, even though there are people who willingly and happily offer themselves up for this role. Isolation and secrecy tend to make it difficult for many vampires to make contact with the people who would be willing to serve in this capacity.

Many of the big cities such as London, Paris, Milan, New York and Los Angeles have a well-developed vampire underground. In such cities, it is relatively easy to find the places where vampires and donors congregate.

Bloodletting

Bloodletting is the physical act of cutting or piercing the flesh in order to extract blood

Sanguinarians do not have long or sharp fangs. Some of them claim the reason for this is dilution via the prolonged interbreeding of vampires and humans. Others say the fangs are retracted when not in use.

However, sanguinarians rarely if ever actually bite their donors in order to draw blood. Biting is exceptionally risky as there are all manner of potent bacteria living within the human mouth. Bites can transmit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as well as the hepatitis B virus and syphillis. Joint infections can lead to septic arthritis. Someone who has a human bite wound should get prompt first aid and see a doctor within 24 hours of the injury if the skin is broken.

In addition to the risk of infection, biting causes extensive bruising and other damage to the donor. Human teeth were simply not made to pierce flesh neatly and cleanly.

Fake fangs could technically be used to draw blood, but the vast majority of sanguinarians with a mind toward safety use sterilized lancets, syringes, razors or acupuncture needles.

Where to draw ?

* The external carotid artery

This is the most common place of all to have a vampire bite. This is the artery in the side of your neck where you take your pulse, closest to the surface between the jaw, slightly under the earlobe and forward, and the collarbone.

*  The jugular vein

Extending on either side of the trachea (the throat), following down the neck from the chin to the collarbone, this vein is very dangerous to pierce. The jugular leads directly down into the heart and carries all the blood from the brain. The jugular vein is much larger than the carotid artery, and so carries much more blood.

*  The median cubital vein

This vein is the one in the elbow where, if you've ever had blood drawn, that is where they stick you.

*  The ulner artery

This is the artery in the wrist. After the neck it seems to be the second favorite place for vampires to bite. Remember this though, the vein lies under some tendons (unlike the medial cubital which is right under the skin in the elbow), so that could pose a problem with biting.

 *   The greater saphenous vein

This vein runs along the inside of either thigh. The vein is large and deep; it would take a big bite to get down into it, but its location makes it a nice.

*   The femoral vein

This vein is the one at the back of the knee. Like the median cubital in the elbow, this vein lies close to the skin and is an easy bite if you have a victim face down and willing to not kick or unable to kick.